The Poetic Edda on Berserkers

The > Volume I > Notes

• attestation: Berserkers were originally men who could turn themselves into bears ('bear-shirts'), later applied to men seized with madness for bloodshed.

  "Berserkers: originally men who could turn themselves into bears, hence the name, "bear-shirts"; cf. the werewolf or loupgarou. Later the name was applied to men who at times became seized with a madness for bloodshed"

• attestation: The twelve Berserkers were sons of Arngrim and Eyfura, known for fits of battle-frenzy in which they howled, foamed, and gnawed their shields

  "Stanzas 23 and 24 name the twelve Berserkers, the sons of Arngrim and Eyfura, the story of whom is told in the Hervararsaga and the Orvar-Oddssaga"

• attestation: During berserk fits warriors were proof against steel or fire, but became weak when the fever abated

  "At such times they were proof against steel or fire, but when the fever abated they were weak"

• attestation: The word berserk probably means 'bear-shirt'

  "The etymology of the word berserk is disputed; probably, however, it means "bear-shirt.""

The > Volume Ii > Notes

• attestation: The 'bears' mentioned in the poem are interpreted as Berserkers

  "Bears: presumably Berserkers, regarding whom cf. Hyndluljoth, 23."